BetaTalk - The Renewable Energy and Low Carbon Heating Podcast

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Dan and Robert Llewellyn (from Red Dwarf and Scrapheap Challenge fame) are extremely well known for their love of electric vehicles which they discuss on the hugely popular Fully Charged Show. However, they are passionate about ALL forms of renewable energy and will soon be doing a lot more about the available technology to heat our homes and hot water.

Dan manages the The Fully Charged Show and has a fantastic knowledge of the heating industry which he discusses with Nathan in this wonderful episode.

Topics discussed:
Battery storage and vehicle to grid
Heat Pumps
Heat Policy
Solarheat
Low Carbon heating technology and training

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Active buildings, energy storage, lithium ion batteries and strategic materials, it's all here. Listen to podcast friend Dr Gavin Harper a Faraday Institution Research Fellow School of Physics and Astronomy at Birmingham University chat with Dr Jen Baker from SPECIFIC at the University of Swansea about sustainability and second life batteries. Also joining Nathan is the MD for the ACEON Group, a battery manufacturer involved in developing the MCS standards for battery installation 

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Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

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Heat Pumps are the topic on the second podcast recorded via Zoom on lockdown. However, this is the first episode to ever be uploaded to youtube which you can fine here https://youtu.be/HynxIiEuP1Y

Nathan chats to UK heating engineer Lee Fischer who is based in Lincoln, regular guest Richard Lowes and Jan Rosenow Principal and European Programme Director
at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP)

Dr. Rosenow serves on the Executive Committee of the International Energy Agency’s demand-side management program and sits on the board of the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. He has also advised the International Energy Agency, the European Commission, the European Parliament, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), government departments in a number of countries, and the UK’s Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, as well as serving as an expert witness on several occasions to the British Parliament. He was the lead author of the International Energy Agency’s global assessment of market-based instruments for energy efficiency.

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Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

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Can Low Loss Headers and Buffer tanks be installed onto heat pump systems and other renewable heating topics are discussed in this episode but also land regeneration and how soil locks in carbon. Nathan speaks with regular guest host Brandon who is currently on lockdown in New Zealand with his family.

Some topics discussed:

• Comparison of New Zealand and UK building regulations
• Solar Heat not being discussed enough
• Zoning vs WC
• Home made Whiskey
• Regenerative Agriculture

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Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

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Low temp heating design along with heat pumps is todays discussion at the HQ of Grant who are well known in the industry. 

Grant is essentially an off-grid company known in the heating sector for their oil boilers, heat pumps and Nathan’s favourite: Solar Heat or also known as Solar Thermal.

Nathan gets to chat with Grant’s training manager Phil, and two of his favourite engineers Paul and Steve.

You will hear the following topics:

Low Temp system design and weather compensation

Grant’s history

Transition of oil installers to low carbon technologies

Heating system monitoring

The importance of commissioning.

We will also hear Paul’s story of how he convinced a developer to use heat pumps on their property rather than gas boilers and also how he uses analogy to help explain such systems to customers.

We hear Grant explain the importance of heat loss design and radiator sizing and Steve’s conversation about architects highlights whether there needs to be more consideration at the house planning stage for such an important aspect of the home.

Enjoy and please leave a review to help others find these podcasts. Thank you

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Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

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Ground source heat pumps is still the topic at Kensa. Lots of topics to listen to including:

• Kensa explain how they are part of the commissioning process 
• Bill explains the importance of installers and customers understanding controls 
• We discuss how heat pump systems run very differently to conventional systems and training currently has not been great
• Dp manufacturers drive the market?

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Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

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Kensa Ground Source Heat Pumps are the topic of this weeks betatalk  podcast.
Nathan took along some of his usual guest engineers to Kensa's HQ to have a chat about heat pumps, training and their "shoebox" design for district and community heating systems.

Topics discussed are:

• Geology of the UK 
• Drilling bore holes for heat pumps
• Calculating the ground array for ground source heat pumps
• Shoebox vs heat interface units
• Can the grid cope with heat pumps
• Nuclear is bad for the environment

It's a good episode...enjoy

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Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

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Meet Emma, Sue, Alan, Lee and Andrew members of a team based in Sheffield and Perth Scotland who specialise in heat pump installations. With over a 100 years of combined experience Nathan enjoyed his visit to chat with the team.

Nathan and Emma chat regularly on Social Media and her passion about standards and design within this sector really shows through. Listen till the end where you'll hr Emma make some fantastic points.

Alan installed his first heat pump back in 1996 and he talks about design of the system and how it is vital for efficiency and performance. A theme which betatalk inculcates. 

Hear Sue and her fascinating insight into the development and evolvement of MCS.

Other topics discussed are MVHR and PAS 2035

Its a great episode...enjoy

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Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

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In this episode Nathan travelled to meet Rebecca from Building People and Abi Burns and Leah Robson from Your Energy Your Way. The discussion considered inclusion and diversity within the renewable and construction sector.

Abi comes from a research background and is now training with Your Energy Your Way so we touched on training within the renewable sector.

Leah does a grand job of describing a sunamp heat storage unit to Rebecca and how they work with a phase change material PCM.

You can hear also how Leah entered the industry having previously come from an IT background and her passion for installing heat pump and solar technology.

Your Energy Your Way is an MCS [Microgeneration Certification Scheme] certified company and you can find more about them here https://www.yourenergyyourway.co.uk/

Building People, much like Your Energy Your Way have a focus on training and diversity. They are a social enterprise and have three founding partners: Chartered Surveyors Training Trust, The Chartered Surveyors' Company and University College of Estate Management and you can find them here https://www.buildingpeople.org.uk/

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Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky

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Carbon capture storage, gas networks, Future Homes Standard it's all discussed in part 2 of Ken Bone and Nathan's trip to Cornwall to meet with Richard Lowes. In this episode we are also joined by Sovay Berriman who discusses her transition into the heating world from art and higher education.

At the beginning of the episode you will hear Richard talk about the ways engineers can help shape policy. It's not easy but he gives examples. He also mentions a study which was carried out by Faye Wade at Edinburgh university which sounds extremely interesting.

Richard is part of the energy policy group at Exeter and he has become a valuable part of the heating community. 

Both Nathan and Sovay have PGCE qualifications and they discuss the lack of evidenced based learning within the heating training sector

Take a listen and enjoy

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Learn more about heat pump heating by following
Nathan on Linkedin, Twitter and BlueSky